China to Japan: Shooting Down Drones Would Be Act of War

According to the Global Times, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson defended Beijing’s drone flights as consistent with international law, and said that any attempt by Japan to shoot down a drone would be a “severe provocation” and an act of war.

South Korea hopes to deploy two light aircraft carriers by 2036 Defense News reported, citing comments made by parliamentarian Rep. Chung Hee-soo during the confirmation hearing for the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to report, the ROK Navy hopes to deploy the 30,000-ton light aircraft carriers between 2028 and 2036. The aircraft carriers will be similar to Italy’s Cavour, which can support about 30 aircraft.

In any interview with The Washington Post, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said he hopes to expand ties with China while reiterating Taipei’s desire to purchase submarines from the U.S., which he called “vital for maintaining effective deterrence in national defense.”

Boeing and Lockheed Martin will team up to submit a bid for the U.S. Air Force’s Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB), according to Reuters. Boeing would be the prime contractor with Lockheed serving as the primary sub-contractor the report said.

Robert S. Spalding, III, a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, argues in Defense One that nuclear submarines alone cannot maintain the U.S. strategic deterrence. He was responding to another recent commentary in Defense One by the Cato Institute’s Christopher Preble and Matt Fay.